Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I assure the Deputy that we fully intend to see this out. As I said, a jobs-led recovery means supporting business all the way. The Deputy referred to the hospitality sector. It is a sector that valued the wage subsidy more than most. That remains in place until next April. On top of that, I ask the sector to look at and engage with Pathways to Work. There are additional supports in that to encourage the sector to take on new staff and to take staff off the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, or off social welfare. There is a range of supports that are very beneficial. There is a work placement scheme that is open to any business and I am surprised that it has been underutilised since it was announced in July. Again, that is to assist people back into work, but by doing that it is also assisting the employer. Yes, there is a difficult time ahead for the sector the Deputy mentioned. The spring will tell the tale of what businesses can survive and come through this time.

However, there are over 10,000 vacancies in this sector at present. The best way to assist those companies is to assist with the employment and training. A number of initiatives have been put in place throughout the education system in conjunction with our Department through Skillnet Ireland, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, under the Minister, Deputy Harris, and the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, and the Department of Social Protection under the Minister, Deputy Humphreys. We want to work with the businesses in this sector to fill those vacancies and to make it a viable sector again. I am full of confidence that we can make it a viable sector, but there are a few difficult months ahead, as the Deputy said as well.

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